How life has changed in Ashford

Ashford's population increased by about 15,300 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Ashford increased by 14.9%, from almost 103,000 to 118,000.

The addition of about 15,000 people means this area's population was the third-fastest-growing in the South East and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Ashford was home to, on average, 1.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Ashford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Ashford increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,800 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 16.0% of people in Ashford are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Ashford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Ashford working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16.4% to 12.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Ashford decreased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Ashford, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Ashford saw the South East's second-largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10.2%) households in Ashford had a single parent, compared with 7.7% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 41.5% to 37.8%.

Across the region, only Slough saw a greater rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 8.7% to 12.8%).

During this period, Ashford went from having the 29th-highest to the 15th-highest percentage of single-parent households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Ashford increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Ashford, the South East and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Ashford

The percentage of Ashford residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.7% to 3.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.8%, while the percentage of Ashford residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.6% to 90.0%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Ashford

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Ashford was among those who said they had no religion, rising 12.6 points.

In 2011, 28.4% of respondents in Ashford gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 15.8% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Ashford, 68.1% said they were Christian, compared with 82.6% in 2001. About 1.2% said they were Hindu, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Muslim increased from 0.6% to 0.9%.

In Ashford, 7.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. Across the South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Ashford increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Ashford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Ashford that rented privately increased from 7.3% to 14.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (14.5%) households lived in social housing, compared with 15.7% in 2001. The percentage of Ashford households that owned their home decreased from 74.3% to 68.4%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10.2% in 2001 to 16.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Ashford increased by 7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Ashford, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Ashford

The percentage of adults in Ashford that were married decreased from 56.2% to 51.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.0%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 25.0% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Ashford that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.7% to 12.3%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 52.8% in 2001 to 49.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 50.6% to 46.6%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Ashford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 4.6% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70.2% in 2001. The percentage of Ashford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.6% to 12.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Ashford decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Ashford, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Ashford

In 2011, 3.4% of Ashford residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 0.9% in 2001. The 2.5 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 93.7% of people in Ashford said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 97.6% in 2001. About 1.4% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.9% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.4% to 1.2%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Ashford increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Ashford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Ashford without children decreased from 59.9% to 58.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in three (32.3%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 31.3% in 2001. The percentage of households in Ashford with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.9% to 9.3%.

The proportion of households without children fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 61.7%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61.2%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Ashford residents that were unemployed increased from 2.4% to 3.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 54.3%, while the percentage of Ashford residents that were self-employed increased from 10.5% to 11.9%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Ashford increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Ashford, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Ashford residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Ashford remained close to 1.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Ashford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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